There is a dramatic twist in the latest episode of Emmerdale as the fate of Baby Tate is finally revealed.
Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) had decided to give his unnamed baby son up for adoption, following the death of his wife-to-be (and Baby Tate's mum), Dawn Fletcher (Olivia Bromley), and had enlisted the help of his childhood guardian Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) in setting it up.
Graham and Kim Tate (Claire King) had urged Joe to reconsider his decision to give his son up for adoption, the latter haunted by reminders of giving her own daughter up in 1999.
Determined to go through with it, Joe brought his baby son home so that Kim could have a final goodbye, while Graham told Joe that arranging the private adoption would be the last thing he would ever do for him. That was the last anyone saw of the baby, as Graham took him away, presumably to hand him over to another family.
However, Baby Tate's location has now been revealed – he is safe and well in the arms of Graham at a mystery cottage. And Kim arrives at the hideout with supplies, confirming that she is involved in the secret plot to keep the baby.
Joe, however, has no idea about what has happened to his son, and it remains to be seen how he will react when he finds out that Graham defied his orders to put the baby up for adoption.
As the baby is a Tate heir, keeping him close could also give Kim the chance to redeem herself in the eyes of her own daughter, Thea, as she attempts to make amends for her decisions in the past.
Sophie Roper, Emmerdale producer, commented: "Kim was devastated at the prospect of Joe giving the baby up for adoption. While it initially appeared that Graham and Kim had resigned themselves to the plan, they have secretly intervened to ensure the baby remains safe and hidden away."
"Desperate for Joe not to come to regret his decision, Kim’s determined to find a way to reunite father and son but with Joe still consumed by grief over losing Dawn and Thea set on vengeance against Kim, can Kim and Graham continue to protect their secret?"
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.
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